The river brings Memphians closer to our history, according to Mayor A C Wharton Jr.

“The river is much more than just a stream for barges and boats,” he said.

The city acquired the seven-acre site from the company, now known as Buzzi Unicem USA, for $13.5 million. The property, which had a large neon "Memphis" sign on it for years, was a sack concrete manufacturing facility.

Nelson Inc. is the contractor leading the demolition of the silos.

Benny Lendermon, president of the Riverfront Development Corp., worked at City Hall in 1985 before the Pyramid was even built.

“There was nothing here,” he said.

Lendermon pointed to projects such as the Bass Pro development, the cobblestone redevelopment and Beale Street Landing as being “very public and very usable.”